Better ending?
by Jitus
Summary: Just a little thought about what could have been if Snape was a little worse combatant. It starts with his fight with McGonagall and co. and it's for everybody who wishes him to survive the battle of Hogwarts. It would be better for us but what about him?


Severus Snape was fighting McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout. He knew he couldn't last long. Not when he - unlike them - wasn't willing to kill.

"Leave him to me!" Potter suddenly appeared nearby.

And Severus made a mistake when he looked his way for a moment. Immediately he felt a spell hit him, he realised that he was falling uncontrollably and then nothing.

* * *

><p>The first thing Minerva did after Potter with his friends had gone searching for the lost item and other Heads of houses barricading the castle, was disposing the bodies of three unconscious Death Eaters. After short thought she decided not to put Snape to the same room as the others. Instead she moved him to her cabinet. She didn't really know why there, maybe because she though him most dangerous and it was a place she knew best and trust most that he won't get any unwanted help.<p>

She laid him on a floor and looked at him. He was still lying unmoving. She bow down and moved hair that had fallen over his face. He looked so peaceful and young when he wasn't awake. But he was young. It wasn't so long ago when he was her student. But she was used to look at him as her colleague. One she was most often arguing with but also one she admired for his bravery. At least until few months ago. Although she saw most of his peers from his school days still as children, on him she always looked like at someone of her age. Except he wasn't. He was also a child. Child who chose wrong path and whom she now hated more that she ever thought she could hated someone. She sighted. Now wasn't time for this thoughts, now was time for battle. She turned away.

"Minerva," said he quietly before she could leave.

"Yes Severus?" she turned to him coldly.

"Harry Potter...?"

"He is in the castle and we are now preparing ourselves for a battle with your master. If you afterwards return to headmaster's office or be moved to Azkaban depends on who wins. Anyway you will survive it here."

"I need to speak with him." When she didn't seem to understand he added: "With Potter."

"Mister Potter has another job to do. Maybe after..."

"I have important information for him."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Are you trying to convince me that you want to help us? Too late, Severus."

"You know me, Minerva. You must know I have no interest in helping Mr. Potter," he smirked. "I want offer a fair exchange. Send him here as soon as possible, please."

"Fair exchange! You want to betray some of your master's secrets to save your skin? I..."

"Anyway. It can help you," he interrupted her. "A lot but only if I tell that directly to him. You shouldn't be throwing away any chances."

"I will tell him," said Minerva coldly. "But don't expect any mercy, you traitor. Even if you get yourself out of here, I will find you and kill you for what you did." And with loudly bang of the doors she was gone.

* * *

><p>Severus felt like it was an eternity before Potter appeared. By that time he was able to move himself from the floor to the armchair. It wasn't much comfortable with his hands bound behind his back but at least he wasn't in that undignified position on the floor. At last he came. For a disdainful look on his face would Severus like to kick him out but he cannot. He closed his eyes for a moment to remain calm. Everything now depended on this moment.<p>

"You wanted to ask me for something, Snape?"

Oh, that spoiled little brat! "No, Potter. I wanted to give you a message."

"From Voldemort?"

"From Dumbledore."

"You murderous bastard!" Potter's wand was pointing straight into his face. "You killed him!"

"Yes, Potter, I did. That doesn't mean that he couldn't have given me some information for you."

"You mur..."

"Yes Potter, I have heard it already, you have very limited vocabulary." It wasn't really helping. For a moment he had a feeling that Potter would kill him or use crucio on him. Fortunately the boy was able to calm himself without this.

"What do you want for this information, Snape?"

"Never see you again would be tempting."

"Tell me what you know and I promise you that if it helps me I will not deny it. You have my word."

"Not much." Severus smirked.

"Cut it and speak!"

"No use. You would not believe me. Do you have some flask?" Merlin, that boy was so dull! If every sentence takes him so long to process the Dark Lord will be there before they get to the point. "I will give you my memories" Snape hissed impatiently.

"Yes! Well..." Potter was looking around helplessly. "I think... Yes."

Finally his memories were in the flask and boy out of the door. Hopefully those memories would be enough to make him understand what was necessary. He didn't need to know about Lily. No, memories about Dumbledore's wish would be enough.

_Really Severus or are you just so afraid to show your best side?_

Merlin! Dumbledore is not here. Not as a person, not as a portrait, but just thoughts about what he would have said are just as annoying.

* * *

><p>Even for a patient spy he was, it was an excruciatingly long waiting for someone to come. He could hear sounds of the battle then silence and he could only guess what it meant. Finally the doors opened. It was Kingsley Shacklebold.<p>

"Good to see you, Severus!" He came closer. "Time for a ride to Azkaban. Little overcrowded nowadays but I'm sure that for a man of your importance they will have a private cell."

"What happened?"

"We won. Harry killed your master. After all you chose the wrong side. Tough, isn't it?"

"Potter? He is not dead?"

"No. He's alive and kicking despite all the efforts you guys made to stop him. Now prepare yourself for little flight." He moved his wand.

"Wait!" If Potter was alive how could be the Dark Lord dead? So maybe he wasn't and in that case... Stupid boy! He didn't trust him at the end. "Wait. I want to walk myself." The same rope that bound his legs bound also his hands. If Shacklebold didn't realize this then maybe...

"As you wish."

Yes! Severus felt the rope disappear. He was free! Now just wait for a right moment...

"So let's go!"

He stood up with his hands still behind his back and walked slowly towards the auror. ... Now! Surprised Shacklebold wasn't able to react quickly enough and Severus got hold over his wand. Unfortunately there was another auror coming. This time was falling to the dark much more painful.

* * *

><p>When he woke up he was lying comfortably, nothing hurt him. He would like to lie like that forever. Where was he? He slightly started opening his eyes.<p>

"Lily?" he whispered. A moment later a realisation came to him that there were glasses before those green eyes.

"Do you need something, professor?"

"Potter." The comfortable feeling was gone. "Why are you alive?"

"Well he did kill me. Or something like that. Anyway he definitely killed that part of himself in me and when I woke up I was able to kill him. Is that understood? I mean..."

"Your ability to explain something is still same as in the class. Don't torture me."

Potter smiled. "I will bring Hermione to explain it to you."

Snape looked at him disgustedly. "Anyway. What are you doing here?"

"Just came to thank you, professor. And ask about something." The boy looked quite lost; same way as he looked every time he got some question about potions. "Why were you doing all this? You risked so much... Why?" When he didn't get the answer he sighted. "Alright then. But why you were trying to run away? You didn't trust I would reveal a truth about you?"

"Maybe I was trying to get away from you and get my well deserved peace. From you and from all others dump heads."

"Right. That reminds me of something, sir. Professor McGonagall wanted me to tell you that if you want to resign as a Headmaster that you can, but not before Hogwarts are repaired. She said something like that mess after Death Eaters should be cleaned up by another Death Eater. And that she will see to it that you don't get rid of this responsibility. And that Professor's Dumbledore's painting considered you a great companion and is looking forward to have you back." He was grinning from ear to ear and Severus had to close his eyes to repress the urge to hex him.

"Right. I will leave you now, sir." Finally he was leaving. But then he stopped again. "When you woke up, sir, you said: 'Lily,' didn' you? It was my mother's name. But you didn't like her. Or..."

Watching the boy thinking was almost as painful as what he was thinking about. How could it be possible that this idiot defeated the Dark Lord? Snape closed his eyes again determined to pretend to be sleeping no matter what. Fortunately the nurse came in, informing Mr. Potter that Mr. Snape needed to rest. Finally Potter was gone. But the misery wasn't.

As soon as the door closed behind Potter, the nurse coughed. "Professor, I know I wasn't your favourite student but I want you to know that I always thought that..."

"Oh, you thought, Miss Wilby? What a surprise! But could you leave me resting now? You yourself just said that I needed it." At least that this still worked and sobbing and apologizing nurse was out of the room soon.

At last he was alone. But for how long? Happy Dumbledore in his silent crypt, away from everything and everybody. He always knew how to get what he wanted and let all the others to take care of consequences. And annoy these people even after death from his grave or better said his portrait. In that moment Severus didn't wish anything more than to be dead too. Unfortunately he had to live and maybe for a very long time.

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><p>Please R&amp;R. Especially the language because I am not native English speaker.<p> 


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